To respond to the Do Now, you can comment below or tweet your response. Be sure to begin your tweet with @KQEDEdspace and end it with #DoNowSelfies

Do Now

Do you think selfies are a form of creative expression that communicate a message? Or do you see them as bad-quality photos posted online by narcissists? Or somewhere in between? Would you consider them an updated version of the artistic self portrait, visual communication, or something else?

Introduction

“Selfie” was 2013’s word of the year according the publishers of Oxford’s English Dictionary, and is now officially part of the English language. Oxford dictionary defines the word as “A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.”

So, where did the word come from? The earliest confirmed use of the word occurred in 2002, in a 20-something’s photo posted to an ABC Online forum: “Um, drunk at a mates 21st, I tripped ofer [sic] and landed lip first (with front teeth coming a very close second) on a set of steps … And sorry about the focus, it was a selfie.”

Since then, the word has grown in popularity. It’s not out of the ordinary to see people post photos of themselves on vacation, sipping coffee, or out with friends on social media websites like Instagram or Facebook. In fact, there are around 57 million photos posted with the hashtag– #selfie — on Instagram.

Most recently, the word selfie gained more attention after Ellen DeGeneres snapped a selfie with a handful of actors at the Academy Awards, making it one of the most retweeted photo of all time.

Despite the recent legitimization of the word, selfies are still a polarizing form of photography. They invite gossip and criticism when posted by celebrities, and some people view them as frivolous and narcissistic. And despite the positive and negative feelings about selfies from different generations, 91% of teenagers have taken a selfie according to the Pew Research Center. No matter how dignified, reserved or professional, it’s likely that almost everyone you know has created a digital self portrait using a mobile device.

Resource

PBS Idea Channel video Why Do We Hate Selfies?
Are we really about to defend SELFIES?! Yup. Despite being possibly the world’s most annoying habit, selfies are undeniably a major part of modern visual language. They may be the lowest common denominator of the art of photography, but they are also a legit form of communication (“a picture is worth a thousand words” comes to mind). But maybe all the hate comes from a confusion about what selfies actually are! Is it possible they’re not actually “photographs” but a totally different form of communication?

To respond to the Do Now, you can comment below or tweet your response. Be sure to begin your tweet with @KQEDedspace and end it with #DoNowSelfies

We encourage students to reply to other people’s tweets to foster more of a conversation. Also, if students tweet their personal opinions, ask them to support their ideas with links to interesting/credible articles online (adding a nice research component) or retweet other people’s ideas that they agree/disagree/find amusing. We also value student-produced media linked to their tweets. You can visit our video tutorials that showcase how to use several web-based production tools. Of course, do as you can… and any contribution is most welcomed.

More Resources

The Best Computer Science Schools infographic The Selfie Syndrome
Narcissism involves a preoccupation with self and how one is perceived by others. Narcissists pursue gratification from vanity and the admiration of their own physical and intellectual attributes. This infographic looks at the selfie as a vehicle for promoting narcissism.

The Guardian article The selfie’s screaming narcissism masks an urge to connect
What greater testament could there be to the “me generation” than the rise and rise of the selfie? Anointed by Oxford Dictionaries’ editors as the word of the year after a 17,000% increase in its usage, the selfie is surely the ultimate emblem of the age of narcissism.

Kristin Farr is KQED's Arts Education Manager. She is the creator and producer of the Emmy Award-winning video series, Art School, which brings audiences into artists' studios to learn about contemporary art, and engages learners with ideas for new ways to get creative. She is also an artist and a contributing editor for Juxtapoz Magazine.

Guest

@KQEDEDSpace In my opinion, selfies are not a form of creativity. Sure they can communicate a message but often times when girls take selfies, there is a lot of cleavage in them and what is that saying? How about we have some self respect for ourselves. Granted there are people who take modest selfies but it may just be me but I still view them as narcissistic pictures.I think they are narcissistic pictures because its shoving a camera in your own face saying “Look! Look at me!” #DoNowSelfies

Katie Wilson

That is a complete stereotype, the classic girl posting a selfie with too much cleavage. There are stereotypes for everything, but look past that! Selfies are a form of creativity, some of the most epic pictures of all time are selfies (the selfies in space). Life is so much more fun when you can take a selfie, and it is convenient when there is no one around to take a photo of you! Who wouldn’t want to be in the selfie from the Oscars?? Even if you hate selfies, you have to admit there is at least one selfie on your phone that you have taken, whether you intend to post it or not. I think that selfies are a new way of reaching out to your audience! It is a new way to show where you are, who you’re with, or even what you’re wearing instead of posting a status update. If you were in a situation where a famous celebrity were behind you, you would probably want to get a picture with them in it, and a selfie is an easy way to do it! I would definitely be like “Look! Look at me!” If that happened.

Ty Sweno

I completely agree with you guest. When a person is constantly just posting picture just of themselves thinking they are being cute by taking a selfie they really aren’t. Most of the time when someone is taking a selfie it is because they are full of themselves and they want people to see them. There are those people that do take the modest selfie but when you start taking a selfie and post it every single day it just starts to get annoying for the followers. Some people do show some creative ideas when they take selfies, like with http://designinstruct.com/photography/better-selfies/ they show some pretty good and funny ideas for people who are trying to take a selfie. As to what you said about girls and showing too much cleavage i totally agree with you there are wayyyy to many photos on the internet, facebook, and instagram that are like this.

Devon Schildge

Guest,

I agree that the pictures you describe as having no self respect as narcissistic but even the modest ones are. Whenever you put something up on any form of social media you are putting out what you are doing to a public setting. You are putting out something that you want people to see and think they want to see so you can get a like or favorite. Statistically speaking woman put out more selfies then men most of them probably showing what they think is most flattering about them until they hit an age where they believe their flaws are increasing. Now don’t get me wrong I am not against selfies at all. If you want to put what you think is your best self out for people to see then go for it. Share what you got and be proud. Share your experiences with your friends. Some may take it as narcissism and others may take it as motivation to change their own lives. As you said selfies are a form of creativity and people are creative in many different ways and people take creativity many different ways.

I totally agree that the pictures you use to describe as having no self-respect as
narcissistic but even the modest ones are. Whenever you put something up on any
form of social media you are putting out what you are doing to a public
setting. You are putting out something that you want people to see and think
they want to see so you can get a like or favorite. I think they are narcissistic pictures because it’s shoving a
camera in your own face saying “Look! Look at me! Which I think is
really immature of people. Who gives a rip if you just got your hair done. I just
don’t understand why so many people are like OMG (oh my god) look at my hair I just
got dyed and cut. It’s like really it’s just hair what’s so special about it
nothing really. So in all that I hate selfies because they are pointless.

Allee Dietrich-Kelloff

@KQEDEDSpace In my opinion, selfies are not a form of creativity. Sure they can communicate a message but often times when girls take selfies, there is a lot of cleavage in them and what is that saying? How about we have some self respect for ourselves. Granted there are people who take modest selfies but it may just be me but I still view them as narcissistic pictures.I think they are narcissistic pictures because its shoving a camera in your own face saying “Look! Look at me!” I think we can all take better quality photos while involving the activity we are partaking in. #DoNowSelfies

Allee Dietrich-Kelloff

@KQEDEDSpace In my opinion, selfies are not a form of creativity. Sure they can communicate a message but often times when girls take selfies, there is a lot of cleavage in them and what is that saying? How about we have some self respect for ourselves. Granted there are people who take modest selfies but it may just be me but I still view them as narcissistic pictures.I think they are narcissistic pictures because its shoving a camera in your own face saying “Look! Look at me!” I think we can all take better quality photos while involving the activity we are participating in. #DoNowSelfies

rocky_seeley

Allee Dietrich-Kelloff I agree with you that selfies are not
a form of creativity and they can communicate a message. But how is it not showing self-respect? Not everyone is doing it to be like you said “look! Look at me!” they are just a way to take pictures while you have no one’s around. I take selfies all the time doesn’t mean that everyone will see all of them. I have issues with self-confidence and when someone else takes a picture it doesn’t look as good as what I could do with my selfies. I may be a selfie addict but I don’t have the fund or another camera to get good pictures without taking just a selfie You right not all the people that take selfies are not modest but our society does not show what modest a person should do. They never talk about being modest it just becomes a way to just do what society is showing. Selfies can be funny too and make your day better

I would have to disagree Allee, selfies are a form of creativity. Everyone has different ways of expressing themselves so you cannot say someone who enjoys taking selfies is wrong just because you don’t have the same interest. Selfies are basically the same as status updates only in picture form, so do you think status updates are narcissistic too if they are talking about themselves with the intention of people reading it? I do not think people take selfies for attention, it’s more of a depiction of your current mood and a way to communicate with your peers. Also, I fail to see how you could get a more accurate image of what you are doing then with a selfie. Sure you could just snap a picture of the view in front of you, but an image with yourself in it makes for a more meaningful capture of the moment. http://www.morningjournal.com/lifestyle/20131121/why-selfies-are-good-for-girls

Beezer Kitty

Guest,

I do not agree with
any point you made, at all. What’s wrong with taking a picture of yourself to
update your friends on what’s going on in your life? How is that narcissistic? Self-image
is a big problem for most teens today, so I think that if someone can proudly
post a picture of themselves then that’s helping their self-confidence. If you
don’t like the kind of pictures someone is posting, well, sounds like you’re the
one with the problem and here’s an idea, UNFOLLOW them. I can see here that
your profile picture is a selfie, sooooo… are you narcissistic? Are you begging
people to look at you? Selfies are a form of art and creativity. Selfies vary
from person to person so there really isn’t a right or wrong answer.
GOTCHA!

Allee Dietrich-Kelloff

It’s okay to disagree with me but a profile picture is not the same as a selfie when you’ve cropped everybody else out in the photo. You failed to see the entire point I’m making and focusing only on one part. I’m not criticizing the art form, but the attention seekers. Why so defensive?

LBeckstrand

There’s a huge difference between taking a selfie to get attention for how you look and taking one to remember a moment. I wouldn’t necessarily say they’re a form of creativity, more a way to create a memory that lasts.

SMiller

TESTIFY!

18cloc

I think that selfies are not a form of creativity, but I do think that a selfie can be a form of communication. I think that it can be a form of communication because you are communicating to people what you are doing and how you are feeling.

Austin Redes

i agree, selfies require no knowledge or creativeness. i found that The Kalamazoo Growlers baseball team is asking fans to donate their selfies to build a mosaic-style jersey, which will be worn by the Growlers when they play the Wisconsin Woodchucks. that is creative to an extent, but knowledgeable? not in my mind, i really do not see the purpose of putting a whole bunch of random selfies on their jerseys. i also thought how much money and work that would be to put over a hundred selfies on a baseball jersey. i also agree that selfies are a form of communication, they tell/show how your feeling, where you are and sometimes who you are with. Some selfies are worth posting if there’s a story or message behind it, some people just post selfies on Sunday and use the term “selfie Sunday” as the caption, which has no story and or meassage.

I completely agree with you 18cloc, selfies take little effort to do but can communicate a lot about the person. Trough one picture you are able to create an opinion on who they are, what they like, what they do, where they are and much more. Many people enjoy spending ours on end looking through pictures that have no positive enhancement on their life, usually from people they’ve never met before. Most of the time selfies perceive a negative image on the person taking them and the person taking the image is not always able to communicate the meaning, which can lead to a lot of miss communication. So yes selfies can be a form of poor communication, but they can not be compared to true art.

I don’t think selfies are a form of creativity, because it doesn’t involve creativeness to take a simple photo of yourself and post it on social media. It may be a form of communication, because it could say something about where you are or what you’re doing at the time to those who are receiving it.

Pat Tuck

I agree with the statement about selfies not being a form of creativity to a point. Some selfies are just a simple photo of someone’s face, but when people add things into the background that give a better depiction of what they are doing or where they are located, then the opportunity for creativity starts to show a little. I personally have no problems with selfies and i see them as a good opportunity to show your sense of humor. I have seen some very funny selfies and I think that’s the best part about them. So the creativity aspect of them isn’t always consistent, but i definitely see them as a humorous form of communication that everyone has become very fond of. http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-image-of-the-week/5-creative-examples-of-selfies-as-social-media-content/

KGroberg

I don’t mind selfies. It’s just when I see them I think they are really funny, or just don’t mind them. Some selfies piss me off, tho. Like when you try to hard. You can’t ever take a selfie seriously.

gehresj

I agree that posting selfies that have no meaning behind them and that show off too much are a waste of time, but I also believe it can be a good outlet for girls that live in a world where low self-esteem is the norm (stemming from the pressure of other girls). Posting a picture of their achievements or even their happiness can give some girls an opportunity to show the world they they are prideful (and it’s easy to post) because otherwise they may not get the chance to boost their confidence. I enjoy funny selfies as much as the next person and I don’t think a mindless selfie should be taken seriously but, with the right reasons, selfies are acceptable.

This article is a great example of how a selfie can turn a moment of disappointment into a nation-wide celebration of the effort put forth by a few women.

I agree with you KGroberg, selfies are cool in some occasions but other times they are just dumb. But selfies have really no meaning, okay you just take a picture of your self then what? Put on Facebook or Instgram and post random pics of your self that have no meaning. Selfies are only cool and funny if people are parting, or just having a good time. But if you do one just for the hell of it, it is extremely pointless. So basically what im saying is when you take a selfie you basically take a picture and put your self out there for no reason.

andrewbeyer

I feel that selfies are not only a waste of time, but also
are completely self-centered, because you are only thinking about yourself or
one other person and they promote a very self-centered life style. I would say
that some are ok like major occasions, but other than that selfies are just
plain wrong to take or post. For example
a girl in my first hour took about 15 selfies in an hour and did almost nothing
in the class I realize this is only one very specific occasion but still I feel
that this girl couldn’t be the only one taking selfies instead of being
productive with their life. Selfies are an insult to how ever takes them,
because they are crying out for help in there picture without even knowing,
because they are posting a picture and wanting people to see it and they want
them to focus on them.

Interesting opinion, I think that might at least be a little funny if you see a girl doing fifteen duckfaces at her phone in 1 hour though.

Im batman

im batman

Jon Wallace

take a selfie then i will believe you

CJofGrove

Interesting point. However, I believe that selfies are indeed a thing of goodness. They may provide entertainment for bored teenagers, become a remnant of a good evening out, express humour, and can be as heart-warming and cherishable as any other picture taken any other way. At the same time, though, it is quite understandable why a large number of selfie observers think of them as narcissistic cries for attention, as some narcissists use them for exactly that. Many a self-centered female I have seen on facebook and instagram exposing their bodies in ways that no decent self-loving person should be. These selfies are surely the type that create all the sorts of flak that we see people giving to selfies in general. But these are not the selfies that the world of criticism should be focusing on. Thus, a selfie, used in an appropriate manner, can be a most pleasant picture to see and take.

I agree wholeheartedly with your well-rounded opinion;
selfies serve a very relevant purpose to
some and may just as easily seem narcissistic and shallow to others. To me, as
a teenager, selfies are very much a part of my everyday life, and I am
communicating with people constantly using selfies. Yes, I do believe that
selfies are a product of the new “tech” generation, and if you looked into who
is against selfies and thinks that they are narcissistic, I’m sure you would
find that the majority of these people are of a previous generation. That being
said (and this is why I agree with your comment completely), I know many of my
peers take snapchats and selfies to get attention and compliments from people. This
is quite nearly the definition of narcissism and disparity. Instagram is a
great place to find narcissistic people, as it is the social media that
consists only of pictures taken with mobile devices. There are several spoken
and unspoken rules in place about selfies referring to age and gender, but I thinkhttp://theweek.com/article/index/239566/5-rules-for-taking-selfies-on-instagram
sums it up pretty well; “Essentially, ask yourself, ‘What would Kim
Kardashian do?’ Then do the opposite.” This is only one of the
many points in the selfie-etiquette -contract found on this website, but all
seem to be pretty valid.

Porter Yates

I agree that selfies should not be focused on the bad or narcissistic views but on the beauty and revelation of life.

Alanoud Alshurafa

yes, to me I agree with you because there are a lot people who take a selfie with their friends just for fun or just because they love them. But if they just take a selfie to show off or because they think they are cool, it’s not good to be narcissistic.

Nour

yes…I agree with that Selfies might be just contact with friends or if you just want to see if they look cute. It’s okay to take a selfie once in a while.

Jae Hun

Taking a selfie once in a while is okay, but people who posts like 5 selfless in like a minute is not okay. Selfie should be like a picture showing where are you and what you are doing. Selfie should not be like the thing that tells where you are every minute.

I dont care about them. Do as you please. I’m not your mom my opinion isn’t going to matter to you and yours isn’t going to matter to me.

Hannah

Hey Kallie, I totally agree with you. Let people do what they want. People should stop complaining about others taking selfies because if you don’t like them stop looking at them, unfollow them off instagram, and I do not get why in the first place does that person even care enough to say something? Yeah, so I like how you kept it short and sweet. I think that selfies shouldn’t even be a discussion on here and now the words in the dictionary? Everyone blows this way out of proportion. Let people do what they want with their life and people should just worry about theirs. But the thing I don’t agree with I guess is that opinions mattering to others, because yes, you may not feel that your opinion isn’t going to matter to them, but people may not have as tough of skin as you and so they may stop posting selfies. Also, that’s why this whole thing is getting blown up because the media, and everyone had an opinion about selfies in the first place so that’s why we have to discuss how we feel. Link is to the word selfie in the dictionary, like whatttt?
P.S- (I have to comment on yours for school, and it had to be 150 words, sorry to bother you.)http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/selfie?q=selfie

jlocey

Although my opinion doesn’t matter to you, I like you. And I like that you don’t care. It’s a good way to be.

Heather Wilkinson

Haha this is great and made me laugh. Good work.

Elyssa Bolinger

I agree with you because people have the right to do
whatever they want, I personally take some pictures of myself but not all the
time. I find people who take selfies every five second very annoying but that
is their choice to waste their life…not mine.
I do however like when people take the time to edit and post pictures of
their genuine smile and have a meaning behind it. Like in the video I find an original
selfies like a status update. People just need to get over the fact that People
are and are not going like selfies. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/29/arts/the-meanings-of-the-selfie.html?_r=0 in this website it mentions how people get
addicted to instagram. First of all instagram isn’t all about selfies, you can
post whatever picture you want on there and second if you post all your
instagram pictures as selfies. I’m honestly not going to follow you because it’s
going to get really boring. They also
mention that a selfies avatars…in other words posting a mini me to give others
a sense of who we are and what we enjoy.

MKimball

A great opinion. Although some problems in the world are generated by nonchalance, this happens to be one of those issues where the best stance may be to back off: laissez-faire and such. Thanks for making me laugh.

Adam Witbeck

i agree with that statement. that said . if i get hundreds of notification on Instagram everyday just because you are posting selfies i will stop following you

McCall Christensen

Very simple and true statement. You can’t control others, so if you don’t like what they post, just unfollow them. No one is forcing you to look at their pictures!

MWAH

Sometimes selfies are ok but if girls post selfies every day then they are just showing off. But they are ok if they are funny! #donowselfie

Maddy Doty

I agree that selfies are cool when they are funny. I think it’s fun to post funny selfies and look at others.

scrouch

I dont mind selfies. I think selfies are chill ,but it the ones that piss me off is when people take selfies that they are trying to hard or they are just not being there self. I love the selfies that are really funny and have creativity in it.

ellielynn

I agree with you completely. Selfie’s have true meaning, and every person is going to have their own opinion on them. There is a problem when someone posts way too many selfies or tries way too hard in every picture they take. There are extremes when its just annoying when they keep taking selfies and waste other peoples time. Selfies are getting to be too much when it turns into nudes and people display too much of their body in the picture. I like how people send funny pictures on snapchat with their food they are eating or whatever they are doing at the moment because you know exactly what they are doing without having to text them about it. Pictures are much easier to comprehend in a few short seconds while texts are much lengthier and take longer to compose. There are obviously wrong times when selfies shouldn’t be taken but most of the time they would be appropriate. Obviously somewhere like a funeral would be very innapropriate because you’re there to celebrate someones life not take creepy pictures of them. As CNN says, “there is a proper time and place for everything.”

I agree with this statement. Selfies do hold true
meaning to what they are trying to capture. Most people take selfies because
they want boost their self-esteem or “I
like having the power to choose how I look, even if I’m making a funny face.”http://www.teenvogue.com/advice/2013-08/selfie-obsession.
They need to have creativity in them though. Overall, opinions vary on whether selfie
culture is lame or legit, which means it’s up to you to shape the future of the
habit. Ask yourself: Are my selfies for fun, or do I need the comments? If you
fall under category two, you should recommend shifting your perspective. My perspective is to capture your day
without you in them. If it’s funny and can make me smile then by all means post
it, if not and it is completely disturbing then don’t. If you are going to take
a selfie don’t act like someone you are completely not. Overall, take funny
selfies.

Trey Sullivan

I agree with you scrouch. I don’t like it when people post selfies that are plain or are trying too hard to look good in them. If you are going to post a selfie, then make it creative and interesting. Don’t post a plain or boring one like everyone else, because no one wants to see it. I also don’t like it when people post selfies that aren’t like themselves. They try to look like something they aren’t. Also, selfies that are funny or unique are fine. But the thing that bothers me the most, are when people do nothing but post selfies, and nothing else. A selfie once in a while is ok, but not all the time. So if you are going to post a selfie, make sure that it is at least funny or creative in some way, and don’t forget that there are a lot of trolls on the internet.

I totally agree with that and think selfies shouldn’t be taken so seriously because that’s when people start to annoy me. Selfies can be funny and unique but posting the exact same selfie over and over again is narcissistic.

msittler

I agree that people should be able to do what they want– selfies are just a picture, and it’s their own decision to take them if they choose.

Jared Worth

I totally agree with you! i feel like a lot of people post selfies to make their lives seem better than they are, when in reality, they live a pretty normal life.

JOSHUAMUIR

I think that selfies differentiate from peson to person and has to be seen before you know it’s bad but i usally think selfies are bad so look at this pic file:///Users/jmui5975/Downloads/selfie%20face

Oryonah Ross

In my opinion selfies generally are a form of communication,
while saying this I believe they can give us the wrong type of communication
that we are asking of. When taking a selfie we must remind ourselves that
anyone can comment and comments may or may not wreck the self-esteem we are trying to acquire. We believe that everyone will love our selfie and no one will do that harm. When in reality when someone doesn’t like the photo that we have posted we use an attack or mass harassment. When we get comments like “ugly” or “stupid”we use that to create who we are and make the self-esteem of us decrease thus saying we do not need to take selfies. Selfies just create the surreal picture of ourselves that can never really be happening. We create these images to show
that we are having fun thus saying, when someone takes a selfie most usually they aren’t having as much as the photo says they are.

I agree with u here, that everyone has there one kinda pic. And that if u wanna post it u probably had looked at it before being posted. But me personally i think that selfies are kinda stupid. I under stand you want a photo but there are other ways. Good slfies are fine and im ok with. but bad ones like the one in the link below are just terrible. I my self have taken a few selfies, but i make sure that they are as good as i can get them. I wouldn’t wanna post a bad pic of me cause id be pretty embarrassed. So i think that if people are going to put a selfie of them selves i would make it count, that way u don’t get all over the internet for the wrong reason for a bad selfie.

Selfies are bad, and I will call upon http://www.redit.com and http://www.imgur.com
to back me up on this. Selfies are not annoying because of the content or the
way that that content is conveyed. No, the hate for Selfies is about the sheer
number of them, there are about 529 million people in just North America (http://www.worldpopulationstatistics.com/north-america-population-2013/)
and most of those people have a phone or camera now if even a forth of those
people post a selfie every day we would have roughly 132,250,000 selfies a day
flooding the internet and taking up space. If you are on the internet you may
have herd of a site called http://www.4chan.org/b/
(be warned 4chan is the garbage dump of the internet, brows at your own risk). The
premise of 4chan started out with good intentions, a site to share your
pictures with everyone on the internet; however the number of posts made a day
made it imposable to weed out the funny, cool, or enjoyable posts from the
absolute garbage. This is why selfies are unacceptable the collective people of
the internet don’t care about 99% of selfies. Let’s take a more abstract look
at it by comparing it to something else, high-fives. The high-five used to mean
something, good job or congratulations, until everyone started doing it, and
now it means nothing. So let’s not use the selfie anymore it’s not the trend
anymore. That is why the selfie is bad.

selfies are okay if you don’t take to many. there kinda cool or you take it with more than one person. like this selfie

Samantha_M

Tab Kramer i
completely agree with you. i believe selfies are okay if you don’t take
to many. I know someone who uploads literally 15 pictures of herself on
Instagram in under an hour. Selfies are a way to express what you are doing,
who you are with, or simply where you are. People try to argue that selfies can’t
be creative or “good” photography, but if you do it right, you can
create a creative selfie. It’s a way to keep people you know and care about
informed. They might not be able to be with you at the place you are at the
same time but they can be emotionally with you, and get to see what you are up
to. I have family members you like to see what im up to every so often
and when they don’t get to see me a lot it gives them a way to mentally be with
me. So I support selfies in certain quantities.here is a link that has to do with selfies, if it makes us feel better or worse about ourselves. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_24696982/are-selfies-good-or-bad-our-self-esteem

bbunker

Yah, too many selfies make it look like your really conceited and narcassistic . This one is great!!

esteysi

I agree with selfies making people conceited and narcissistic because they want to show off and some think that they are to cute and they look at their picture and think OMG I’m so cute and they end up taking selfies anywhere they go.

Brock Miller

I agree with you. People take way too many selfies. People need to post selfies that are creative and cool.

Joe LeBlanc

Brock, not everyone has the same definition of “creative or cool.” Everyone is different. That doesn’t mean that just because somebody thinks what you’re doing or posting is uncool or not creative, it just proves the fact that everybody is different and has their own opinions. If you go to dictionary.com you’ll see that the definition of creative is, “resulting from originality of thought, expression , etc.” Keyword there being originality. Meaning, in this case, your own idea. The merriam-webster.com definition says that creativity is, “having or showing an ability to make new things or think of new ideas.” If you go by that definition, everybody is considered creative because everyone comes up with new ideas everyday. At the same time I don’t think that some of these ideas are great, but that’s what makes America great. You’re allowed to have your own opinion. If you see something that’s not great, speak up and change it. That only happens if you start to be creative.

selfies are always funner and more pleasurable if its creative and different.

McCall Christensen

I agree! A selfie should be taken somewhere cool and outdoors, not in your bathroom.

David Phinney

Brock, I completely agree, some people just don’t know what is worth posting and what is not.. If the selfies are cool and creative then I am all for them.

Heather Wilkinson

I agree. Creativity is a way to express yourself and not everyone has to like it.

Josh

I really like this photo! I do feel bad for this girl though
she was being eaten! But this isn’t a selfie, you can find the definition herehttp://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/selfie it says”
A photograph that one has taken of oneself.”
This is a picture of someone taking a selfie. I’m with you about selfies
though they are cool and find if you don’t go overboard. They inform us about
what our friends are doing, how they a3e doing and we get to see their shining
face all while doing it. Truthfully I feel that people hate selfies because
they are jealous of what those who are taking the selfie are doing or how good
looking they are. I like a selfie of a good looking girl, a not so good looking
one though please refrain from taking them, they are kind of turn off. Just
kidding but for real I feel as if that’s why people don’t like them they are
either jealous or they are judgmental. Who cares what people post, let them express
their self in their own way and if it’s a selfie then who cares. Also you can find
some really funny ones here http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/best-selfies-time-gallery-1.1522211

daniel j. eberhart

I agree with your statement that selfies a cool. Selfies are
a form of creative expression that can portray a message. They portray this
message by using the contained in the photo. The “Selfie” was 2013′s word of the year
according the publishers of Oxford’s English Dictionary. But I do think your
photo is not a Selfie, oxfords English dictionary defined it as “a photograph
that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam
and uploaded to a social media website.” The photo that you and several others
have posted are photos of people taken by other people, they are by definition
not selfies. Despite this minor inaccuracy
I still like your photo, though it is not a Selfie, it portrays the act of someone
taking their own Selfie. I like selfies
and I plan to continue to take them, despite others dislike of them.

I love this because its a perfect example of a good, funny selfy. It makes fun of people who are so conceited they frequently take them at the wrong place and wrong time.

SD’Antuono

Solid post I like the picture

Mark Smith

Dear Allie Dietrich-Kelloff
Selfies are art, as they are a form of self expression. The way people express themselves is up to them, but you cannot say that they aren’t a form of creativity. If you give a bunch of people a pencil, they wont all be able to make something beautiful, but you can’t say one person’s drawing is more of a work of art than someone else’s. To make art is to express yourself, not meet someone else’s opinion of what you should be expressing.http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/11/selfies-are-art/...

bbunker

I think selfies are fun. They make people laugh and thats always a bonus But I think they need to be just that, a selfie. I find it sad when people get all dressed up jsut to take a picture. They need to be of ‘you’. Not ‘you’ after an hour of preparation and adjustment.

jlocey

I agree. I don’t like the fake, dressed up people who you don’t know when they take off their “mask”.

SMiller

I agree! But I also think that if people post the same selfie, everyday, it gets really annoying and obnoxious. I think that it’s better when you have some change. I like it when they’re with different people, in a cool place, or documenting a cool moment in their life.

jlocey

Selfies can be cool but some people take too many of themselves. If you’re taking selfies with people or if they’re meaningful, I think they’re great and a lot of fun.

bbunker

I love seeing slefies with multiple people in them. To me it indicates that they’re having fun

Guest

Like this selfie.

jlocey

Like this one.

Brock Miller

These selfies are cool. I really like this one because there are so many people.

TFackrell

Hey Machu Picchu right? That’s pretty cool. See, this is a good example of what we like to see in selfies.

Kenny Moran

@jlocey I believe that you are right. I take selfies myself
some times. But I do it differently. I take selfies like I get tattoos. I take
them only when there are meaningful I have an instagram and every time I scroll
up or down its always another selfie of them selfs or there cats. Like really a
cat. Why, cats are the stupidest thing on this planet. Or really close. For all
am concerned the can all “fall of the edge of the earth”. Pictures of cats happen way too often. I don’t
understand why some people will post pictures of them self’s looking so depressed
and like they were beat to hell at a bar the night before. That just screams
out I don’t care about nothing. Grow up and stop acting like a kid and don’t deal
with drama. Like selfies. Don’t get me wrong though some are okay sometimes. But
I believe they shouldn’t be take unless it has meaning. http://graduateloop.org/selfie-new-word-for-oxford-old-for-youngsters/

APeterson

Selfies are the greatest! They are a picture that isn’t so posed and perfect. Selfies make the funniest pictures because they are mostly at random times. However they can be very annoying if you are the person that takes them 300 times a day. That is crossing the line. Overall, a good, funny, selfie is fine if you don’t over do it.

Jon Wallace

I agree that the selfies can be funny at times, but one needs to recognize those times and take advantage of them. I think 300 times a day is to much, i also think that once a week can be to much.

Landon Hamren

I agree with you APeterson. Selfies usully are way funny and super random. They can be extremley obnoxious when the same person posts the same duck face picture in their bathroom every thirty minutes.

Landon Hamren

I am somewhat indifferent about selfies. I think that they can be extremely obnoxious but they can also be fun, and a good way to keep up with some of your friends. But like all things, selfies can be annoying and stupid if they are used in the wrong way, which seems to be the case most of the time.

APeterson

Yes they can get annoying but don’t hate the selfie takers! They just want to remember the moment, or how beautiful they are… but most the time they are funny.

Jon Wallace

I agree that they can be very obnoxious. i also think that they can be fun with other people in the picture, or other things.

Maddy Doty

I definitely agree that selfies can be annoying. When people over-post selfies it gets on my nerves, but i agree that they can be fun too!

TFackrell

Yep. Indifferent pretty much sums it up. Pretty cool that “selfie” was the word of the year though. Too bad my computer doesn’t think it’s a word…

Jon Wallace

I believe that there is a very fine line between a good selfie and one that is just annoying and immature. if the moment is right and you are actually doing something selfie worthy, then it is fine. but if the selfie just consists of your face in the bathroom trying to look hawt for all your followers, that’s not okay. go do something actually worthy of taking a picture of.

APeterson

Well what is selfie worthy? You can’t put a limit on what is worthy of a selfie or not. But that’s just my opinion.

LBeckstrand

I agree. Like, thank you for reminding me what your face looks like. I’ve forgotten since the last selfie you posted.. The rule should be to never post a selfie when you’re bored.

Ashton Walker

I believe that our generation has taken the whole “selfie”
thing to a whole new level that it doesn’t need to be at. No one cares when
people are home and taking them, and no one cares when you‘re out doing something
and you go to take them. When someone actually is out doing something cool, like
hiking in the Rocky Mountains let’s say, then that would be an appropriate time
to take a selfie. But even then selfies just get annoying because of people just
using them entirely too often. If you
are in the Rockies and you take a picture of what you see, obviously you are
there no reason to stick your face and a weird pose in there. And then people
use the same posture, the same facial expression and then edit the photo so far
that you can hardly even tell what they’re actually trying to capture. Selfies
should be more about the experience at hand and what is actually happen, rather
than them being about just taking a picture of you.http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/126652-selfies-love-them-or-hate-them-here-s-why-we-ve-all-taken-them

Jeremy H.

Jon,

I agree with on the fact that selfies should only be posted
if they have some worth. Every day I see my Twitter feed and Facebook fill up
with images of people standing in their rooms or bathrooms looking in a mirror
either doing some stupid face or posing like somebody actually cares how bored
they are. Unfortunately the actually
well thought out or somewhat relevant selfies are very slim when compared to
these other photos. Which is really sad because I don’t know the last time
someone actually said that they liked someone’s selfie that was taken for the
sole purpose of showing off their clothes or how they look. The main problem
being is that most people who take selfies don’t have any since of moderation
when comes to things they find fun. It’s almost like and addiction for some people,
who constantly want the world to know what they are doing twenty four seven. When the statistics are looked at its
overwhelming how many people post selfies, and makes me wonder if people are
ever going to get over taking pointless pictures.

I agree I think you are right about selfies they should be good
not just annoying stupid things that do not matter as most are. I f people like
selfies they should go out and do it. I the selfie is not worth while then they
should not take it. I don’t ever take selfies but they are no bad they are just
part of people’s lives. I don’t see very many selfies but when I do see them they
are usually bad and not interesting to me. People have taken over 35 million
selfies and there is going to be some pointless ones out there. Taking a selfie
does not really affect people if they don’t like it unless it’s on a personal
level. I don’t mind when people take selfies but when they post to many it can
get annoying. There is may people that like to take selfies and they use it to
entertain people and there self and they also have fun. So selfies are okay if
they are not bad but good and worthwhile to see.

I think selfies are great because they can boost your confidence and I don’t think that drawing attention to yourself is a terrible thing. It can become annoying when people post like 200 selfies everyday though.

Landon Hamren

Maddy, I agree with them having the ability to boost your confidence and drawing attention to yourself isn’t a terrible thing, but often at times people try and seek attention in a negative way and I feel that selfies bring on the connotation of negative attention.

dwiltse96

Maddy i think that you are wrong. for me i really don’t like selfies, i think that they are really pointless and if you really want to have a moment captured have someone else take the picture for you. if you really believe in selfies you can take them but you really will never be able to convince me that they cool or good. for me i really don’t like any of them but a few are pretty well taken and should be given respect. for me the only respectable selfies are ones that are funny and if you are only just posting pictures of you in the mirror all the time is stupid since really can you change that much from day to day. i agree with you though that they should not be posting a ton of them and maybe only do it if you are on vacation somewhere or are meeting a famous person. so that there is why you are wrong and that selfies overall are a bad idea. and this site is proof http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/04/selfie-etiquette_n_4181925.html

MATTHEW MITCHELL

I don’t love or hate selfies because i hate taking pictures so I’m not going to take selfies but i don’t care if other people take them, they can do what they want. @KQEDEDSpace #DoNowSelfies

Derek Bice

Dear MATTHEW MITCHELL,

I completely agree with you saying that you don’t have any sort of strong opinion one way or the other to selfies, because I too really don’t see why people would care about them. If you don’t like seeing your Facebook feed filled up with people taking selfies, then just delete them. It’s as simple as that. I mean sure there are some people that take it too far and take selfies at inappropriate times, but that is just a small percentage of people. Other than that, they tend to be fairly harmless. And the whole debate over what is selfie worthy is just pointless. There cleary isn’t any sort of definition on what is selfie worthy, and if you truly think that something is worth taking a picture of, then it should be done by another person so you can get some sort of perspective on what you are taking a picture of, because a selfie doesn’t give a very wide angle of what you are trying to take a picture of. This link shows people taking selfies too far.

I think selfies can be ok &/or interesting if they are depicted in a place or with other people that show what you’re doing. However people that are constantly posting only selfies are seeking attention. I don’t think everyone hates selfies as much as they say they do or they wouldn’t like other people’s & post their own.

Chewy_5683

I agree, I think it’s ridiculous, the word, now no one can take a picture of themselves
with friends without someone thinking selfie, attention craver, etc. I don’t
think it would be such a big and popular deal id no one gave it a name. in the
article below the writer says a selfie is a, ‘The raunchy, goofy, poignant,
sexy, or drunken self-portrait has been a common sight since phone camera met
social media.’, as well as ‘enjoying the hijinx of co-workers and friends and
mooning over celebrities, who have fast learned the marketing value; and
scandalous dangers, of capturing their more intimate, unpolished selves.’ I agree
I would rather see a celebrity how they look without makeup or makeup they put
on themselves, and I don’t mind taking a picture of yourself, I mind the word ‘selfie’.
Oxford is monitoring the term selfie as a possible addition, and Calif.,
psychiatrist Carole Lieberman sees narcissism with a capital N. “The rise of
the selfie is a perfect metaphor for our increasingly narcissistic culture.
We’re desperately crying out: Look at me!” and Rutledge says he “declare them a sign of a self-obsessed,
narcissistic generation, the more desirable they become,” I like Rutledge’s saying
“really was the first piece of
technology where an artist could see his own image long enough to paint it,
other than just painting self-impressions,”. So I don’t mind selfie’s, I just don’t
like how there is a word put to it, the word makes it more popular

Ps. Selfie is not a word on Microsoft Word, and I would
prefer a ‘selfie’ over a ‘duckface’.

Sydney has a great point, selfies can be interesting. But I will
add that selfies can be very annoying. Some people will do the same thing every
time they take a selfie; whether it’s a facial expression or pose. Also some
selfies are very provocative and that can get very annoying because no girl
wants to see other girls boobs or butt, and I think I speak for all women. Its degrading
and inappropriate. On the other hand, selfies can be very entertaining and
funny. Also really good pictures of boys and girls can be cool to look at. I guess
what I’m trying to say is, selfies are okay when the intensions are to be funny
or cool looking or you’re posting a pretty of handsome picture of yourself, BUT
it’s NOT cool seeing girls exploiting themselves with low cut shirts and booty
shorts… or even sometimes exposing bikinis. So all in all there should be boundaries.
Selfies are cool to an extent. ALSO! It’s annoying seeing the same person
posting a bunch of selfies… makes them look self-centered, and you can
obviously tell there craving for attention and has insecurities so they need
other people to tell them they look good, without making it obvious that that’s
what they’re doing. J

I agree with you Sydney Stephens I think selfies are ok in moderation. It gets annoying when you are trying to have a conversation or hang out with someone and they think they can just pause you and take a selfies. Then they ask a bunch of questions about like “what just happened in the movie?”. “Or what did I miss?” personally I don’t take selfies because if everyone knows what you did last night by your selfies then you can’t talk about what you did last night the next day. We are evolving into people that avoid face to face contact and only do it through technology. I took a funny photo once and my sister put it on Facebook and the next day my aunt called me and said that her friend showed her this picture of me and she never knew me. It’s just scary how fast a photo can go around the internet. http://effloresce23.wordpress.com/2014/02/01/on-self-love-selfies-and-changing-the-world/

Valeria

I agree that most people are narcissistic because sometimes they post
pictures that are in inappropriate places. For example I think is very
disrespectful to take selfies when people are in funerals.

Brenton Jakeway

I agree with Sydney Stephens. Selfies as people call them are alright, and i admit to taking a few of them my self. But on that note my “selfies” were in fact in an interesting place or maby in front of a new vehicle ect. Now on the other hand seeing the same “selfie” of Blondie sticking here ass out in the mirror with a capption of “omg Becky, does my butt look big?” is not only obnoxious but annoying. i wouldn’t say i hate selfies cause as i said before i’v taking a few my self, but i think people need to control themselfs. when i first got a intsagramh it was pretty cool cause i could see my buddies trucks and what they were doing to them. But now all’s i see is jank selfies of people i don’t care about. If people ,learned alittle bit of controll down i think the rest of the world would hate so much on the word selfies, or the people taking them. http://instagram.com/

Danny Escobar

I agree with you Sydney because people take selfies just to show what they’re doing and maybe how they’re feeling in that moment.

Estefania

I agree with you selfies show you how someone’s day is and show you their emotions. Once a day all my friends take a selfie.

Porter Yates

I have mixed feelings about selfies. I thaink, if used in the right way, they are perfectly fine and actually pretty cool. One example of this is when a person takes a selfie in front of an awesome view or doing something way fun. on the other hand, most selfies I feel a used to just bring attention to ones self. The most common examples are when boys try and look big in front of a mirror or when girls take a picture of themselves but then comment “Im so ugly :(” @KQEDEDSpace #DoNowSelfies

Jared Worth

@KQEDEedpace I am indifferent about selfies. They can be awesome or just flat out stupid. Its kind of like music. Anyone can do it, but some people can make great songs that are worth listening too. The same with selfies. While the majority are amateur shots taken to show off a little (or a lot) there are still some pretty sweet ones worth looking at. #DoNowSelfies

MKimball

I love your connection to music; it’s so true. It takes a lot of talent to make something decent that others will genuinely enjoy. I really don’t have a social life, and I’m terribly judgmental, so selfies often look like wastes of time. However, I’ll occasionally stumble across an image that looks pretty awesome, and that’s when I think that selfies might have some redeeming points. If it’s sharing a particularly special moment or reaching out in some way to someone else, I think it’s worth it. Those definitely wouldn’t fall under your ‘amateur’ category.

David Phinney

I believe that selfies are not a big deal, and, for the most part, I support the selfie lifestyle. However, there comes a point when they can become an annoyance and actually ruin the event you are experiencing. I think that selfies are good in a moderation, because with pictures, your memories of that time are more vivid and real. On the other hand, selfies don’t capture the whole experience, it is just a picture to brag to others about how cool your life is while we sit at home being boring. #donowselfie @KQEDEDSpacehttp://cdn.designinstruct.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/image_02_akihido_hoshide.jpg

Brock Miller

@KQEDEDSpace I think that selfies can be alright as long as it is appropriate. I like selfies that are funny and cool. Sometimes people do too many selfies and it drives me crazy. They’re good once in a while. I think its awesome when people take selfies with a unique animal like the pic I chose… The bald eagle! #DoNowSelfieshttp://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/12/21/54/2693892/6/628×471.jpg

SMiller

I agree! I think that when selfies become innapropriate, or overdone, people are just wasting their time, and they lose your respect.

msittler

I think selfies are a way to show your friends and family what you’re doing. For example, if you are doing something cool and exciting you will most likely want to share it with others, and a selfie is a way to do that. However, if people post too many selfies it can become a little annoying and overwhelming. That being said, I think that if you want to post tons of selfies that’s fine, too.

MKimball

In my opinion, most selfies are a waste of time. There are hundreds of more interesting and progessive things that one could be doing that would actually be worth taking a photograph of. I don’t think that all selfies are bad– one could take a selfie while they’re hiking Mount Everest or exploring the African Velt. It’s when someone takes twelve selfies of themselves with mussed up hair and a stupid expression on their face while sitting in Pre-Calculus that they become a negative aspect of society and the technological age. I hope that no one has such a poor regard of life that they will enjoy seeing pointless images of random strangers– or even friends– online.

Dylan Johnson

@KQEDED I believe that selfies are okay, as long as you don’t take to many. Selfies are a supposed to be a way of expressing and showing what your doing, or how you are feeling. There is a certain point as to when posting selfies is appropriate, selfies are just another way of communicating with society, you shouldn’t take a ridiculous amount of selfies of you standing in the mirror, i mean no one cares if you look the same in every picture you take, people should just be aware of when they should post and not post a selfie.#DoNowSong

LBeckstrand

Selfies themselves aren’t bad, it’s how they’re used. If people post a selfie just to get attention about how they look, it’s annoying. But if it’s an interesting situation, and it tells you something about what they’re doing and who they’re with, they’re alright.

Selfies. Selfies aren’t necessarily bad, there are often times I like looking at peoples “selfies” and enjoy seeing the cool places the visit, who they are with, or what they are doing. Other times selfies get annoying because the poster posts the same photo (same pose, same place, same style) day after day. I think that selfies are great if they’re just like a normal photo, but I feel like when they cross the line to being some awkward photo in a mirror….then that person just needs to get a life.

TFackrell

Honestly, I am not on social media that much, so I haven’t really been affected much by this wave of selfies over the past year or so. I don’t really have a strong opinion on them. They can be a good thing if you’re at a place, say, a national monument, and you just want a quick selfie to document that for fun. There are times though when I can’t believe how a person can have so many pictures of themselves on their phone. What’s the point? Why have so many pictures? But I guess another question to ask is, “Why not?”

McCall Christensen

@KQEDEdspace I don’t mind seeing a selfie every now and then. The only time I tend to hate them is when they are happening on a regular bases. It also bugs me when it is the same type of picture every single time (see attached picture). And It’s not necessary to caption #selfsunday or #selfie!

Kat VanHuis

I completely agree. I understand a
selie every once in a while, but if your whole Instagram and Facebook and any other
social media things are ONLY your selfie’s you seriously need a life. And when
all of you photos are sefie’s and you’re posing and making the same face in
every picture. That bugs the crap out of me. Show more emotion if you really
like selies so bad. It’s quite awkward to like one picture but not like all the
rest if they all look the same. There is no need to hashtage #selfie. Or even
#normalday. Haha, that is the worst. One of my friends is selfie queen. She takes
a picture of herself every day in front of her mirror. Making the “duck-face”
and ALWAYS #seliekindofday. I hate it so much I unfollowed her… Some people
need to start deleting some selife’s and adding some normal pictures.

Ahhhahhahah amen! For some reason when I see #selfie it bugs me too. Maybe it’s because we know it’s a selfie if the only person in the picture is you…

BDELPHIN

Chewy_5683 I
completely agree with you. I think the word selfie is just a stupid word too
use why cant you just post a picture of yourself without putting selfie in full
caps? Honestly I don’t know why but the word selfie just pisses me off for some
reason. I put my pictures on instagram of myself but I don’t put
SELFIE!!!!!! The middle school crowd is
the ones who are really into the selfies for example my sister. She is in 7th
grade and she takes probably 15 selfies a day and whenever she takes the
picture she posts online and says selfie I mean why do you have to say selfie? Just post it and be done with it. I have never
once ever put selfie on any of my post and I will continue too. I’m not against
people who post that it just makes me upset. http://www.teenvogue.com/advice/2013-08/selfie-obsession
“It seems like they have nothing important in their lives other than the
way they look, which is pretty shallow.”

Liz Powley

I think selfies are a good thing in using like snapchat because you can express what your true emotions are instead of just a text. I think posting tons of selfies on instagram is annoying! But if your with friends showing how much fun u having and who you are with in a selfie its all good

MATTHEW MITCHELL

Great point, the tons of slefies on instagram needs to stop, but snapchat selfies are super chill#DoNowSelfies

LMcDermott

I don’t think selfies are all bad, but too much of anything can be just too much! Selfies can be fun and cool pictures, but some people take selfies too seriously and post them, and post them, and post them some more, and keep posting them all over twitter or instagram. I think it’s funny when I see selfies making fun of selfies, those are my favorite. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M_qLEcYDKI

18wlam

Taking a selfie can describe who you are, I don’t hate selfies, but I don’t like them. I don’t really know why I just think they are annoying to look at.

KnowEl

Right now, to me, a selfie is just a status update. Maybe something to remember a day or a moment. I don’t think that they’re narcissistic, I just think that people take them to easily show people what they’re doing and what’s up with them. Maybe in the future selfies will be a form of art. I mean, really when you think about it, self portraits are basically selfies and those are considered as art so…

Pinya Colada

I don’t think selfies are bad, they’re just a way to express yourself. Selfies can show who you are, and I don’t think that taking a selfie is narcissistic. Taking a photo of yourself just shows who you are, what you’re doing, and where you are.

msittler

I agree with you and I also believe that selfies are a way of boosting someone’s self confidence and self-esteem. It can get a little overwhelming when people post a lot of selfies, though. It’s up to that person what they want to do.

18vmon

I think selfies are a way of expressing yourself and your beauty. I think it is a great compliment to yourself.

18kgoe

Almost everything is okay in moderation, but personally I am not a fan of selfies. Of course, I have no social media so this may be why. The people I know who take selfies are generally self centered, but that’s not everyone.

18jcol

I think if the selfie is taken to show something important then it’s okay to take a selfie, but if you are just taking them to show something not important then I don’t think you should take them.

18tmon

I think it depends on the selfie. The selfie should reflect you as a person. It should showcase your beauty or a cool place you are visiting. Not something that does not complement that.

Weixin Ding

There is honestly nothing wrong with a selfie here or there. If your hairs looking good one day or if there’s no one there to take the photo, selfie away! But when you post three selfies daily on facebook, that is just plain narcissistic.There is no creative expression, there is no art form, all there is is a person who feels the need to show everyone else how great they look. Even though they look ridiculously silly in the process. The popular app Snapchat has given people an excuse to take selfies as a way of communication. But say for example, you’re watching fireworks on the 4th of July. Should you take a photo of the fireworks or your expression as you watch them?

Adam Witbeck

I feel like selfies have their place. but using them in excess is a gross and annoying form of self glorification

Collin Park

I think selfies are a great method of communication. We often forget that we understand alot of what people say by their facial expressions. However I do hate some selfies, but for one reason…. Don’t hate the selfie, hate the selfie taker. #DoNowselfie

Heather Wilkinson

Selfies are a pretty debatable subject. I honestly believe it’s a fairly unique subject as it could be divided into many different points. It just depends on who you are, and what you like. If someone has a problem with it, then screw them. If you don’t like selfies, cool. If you do, go you!

David Phinney

I agree, I believe that people should just be indifferent when they view the subject of selfies. If you like them post them, and if you do not like them don’t post and don’t hate. #prettypeoplebeposting

Shannon Wareham

@KQEDEDSpace #DoNowSelfies

I believe that selfies are not that glamorous as everyone makes them out to be. Like the guy in the video says don’t hate the selfie hate the selfie taker. Most of the selfies I have seen are of girls making the stupid duck face or taking a picture of their Starbucks drink. To me they are annoying in the hands of people who think they are the hottest things in the world right now when everyone else could care less. Now some people that take selfies make them creative and cool to see. They will do a photo shop and put themselves in a shark mouth taking a selfie which is amusing to the person looking at the picture. Here is an example of a stupid and creative selfie in my opinion

Selfies are just one of the emerging forms of photography out there. They have their time and place like everything else the only problem with them is that as we take more of them there is no way to tell when to take one and when not too.

taking photos with friends is okay but not at a funeral like this. time and place.

Daniel

Selfies are mostly just a form of capturing a specific moment in life. I personally have not seen a selfie that has inspired some sort artistic meaning inside of myself. Typically, they are just people who can see their own personal beauty and decide to capture the moment forever.

Samantha Wojcik

I am stuck in the middle. I think it is a form of entertaining communication, but on the other hand some people take like a selfie for every hour a day and that just annoys me. I think in some way it is a form of modern self portrait.

Camdon Hisey

I don’t like or hate them. They aren’t artistic though. I think they’re more of an identification photo. I mean do you consider your license a work of art?

Dakota Brooke

If it can be a selfie that would have something else interesting besides yourself, it could be a cool picture. When people post constant selfies of just themselves, they came turn into something that isn’t looked at as an artistic self portrait.

Lane

Selfies are just annoying yet are a form of art. sadly.

Ben

I think they are fine to do but some people (girls) just take it way too far.

Wesley Seidelmann

I believe that yes they are self expressive but I don’t think that the really have much artistic value. They don’t necessarily mean that they’re narcissistic either, but just a simple way to express that we’re doing however we’re doing.

Clay

I see them as bad-quality photos posted online by narcissists. There is no point to them, other than to beg for attention. And unfortunately, the selfie has given birth to horrible trends such as the “duckface” which is yet another pitiful scream for attention. The world would benefit if the ‘selfie’ just disappeared.

Cole Reinhold

Well….selfies aren’t exactly my most favorite thing, but I wouldn’t say everyone who takes a selfie is a narcissist. I think that the person who invented the selfie is a huge narcissist, but I feel like everyone who takes them now is just hopping on the band wagon. Someone thought they would be fun and everyone else followed, leading to a mess of people taking photos of themselves at the worst possible times at the worst possible angles.

Cole Reinhold

This wraps it up quite nicely.

john

Selfies are just a simple cry for attention. But most people who take selfies are just obsessed with themselves and want everyones attention. I personally think selfies are just a waste of time, simple as that.

Kyle Williams

Many selfies are made to show who you were with or friends with. There is no need for them in my opinion. Many people who take them are too into themselves. There is a reason for many photos but no good reasons for selfies.

Cesar Aguilar

I don’t consider selfies art but I think they are very important in social media. This year there was a Selfie Olympic which I thought it was hilarious.

Owen Manns

I don’t think selfies are very artistic, unless they are part of the Selfie Olympics. Selfie Olympics are all very creative. Normal selfies are alright, but some people post them way to often.

Brandon Milligan

I think selfies are not really needed, they are not very artistic and really have no meaning.

Arthur Clemons

I see it in between. I think most of it is just kids taking pictures of themselves, and promoting themselves. I can also see how some people could turn this into a legitimate art, and making it it’s own genre of photography.

Manuel Moreno

I believe selfies are not art but a selfie does leave a message because a selfie can be anywhere or with other people. The message within a selfie can leave one person laughing or amazed.

Quentin

They are a form of art but I think some could be a little more original instead of taking the same poses over and over and over again. But if its someones way of showing how they feel then by all means they should be able to do it

SD’Antuono

@KQEDEDSpace #DoNowSelfies I think that selfies are a quick means of communication. What I mean though, is a lazy one. I think that selfies are slowly undermining the diversity and usefulness of extravagant or more complicated language. It can be looked at as good for the same reason of it being quick and simple; but is that the evolution of communication or the stagnation of it?16207_544382152257472_1506018171_n.jpg

Ana Jimenez

I think that people do take selfies a lot. Maybe they take them to show friends or faraway family. I don’t think there is anything wrong with taking a lot of selfies.

Maria

I think that people are just trying to communicate by their selfless. Some people take lots of selfies because they’re obsessed with themselves they feel cool or cute.

Justin

Selfies r fun, crazy, stupid, and being yourself. It’s just communication to the people bc everyone takes selfles.

I don’t really care if people take selfies or not. I actually think it is weird how people hate selfies so much and on the other hand, how much time people spend taking selfies. We could probably do more productive things with our time than argue about people taking shirtless mirror photos. And we could probably do more productive things than taking shirtless mirror photos.

Nick M

Selfies can, and often do, come across as annoying. But the importance of selfies is so much greater than we think. When we leave this world (and yes, we can’t escape death) most of us want to leave behind a legacy to some extent. Regardless of what achievements we want to make in our lifetimes, most of us don’t want to be entirely forgotten. Selfies give us an opportunity to document where we’ve been, what we’ve done, ultimately how we lived on a daily basis. And while the majority of these “landmark events” will seem boring, annoying, or pointless to others, when we’re looking back on our lives and when those closest to us want something to remember us by, there will be those few gems of selfies that will mean so much more than some excuse for narcissism.

Jackie Morgan

I honestly don’t have a strong opinion on selfies. I think they can be a form of expression if the purpose is to share an event or something that happened. If the purpose is to make yourself look good and make others jealous of your beauty. People take a million pictures to find the one that makes you look best and add a caption with a dumb quote or some emojis. On the other hand, a selfie can capture special moments and represent your inner self.

davidjenny

I think it depends on the person taking the selfie to judge if it is art or not. For example lets say that someone is doing something cool like skydiving than I would agree that it is with artistic, its not something you do every day. But when you are Instagraming excessively, than it becomes a detriment to the reputation to selfies. I hate to inform you but no one really cares about your Ihop breakfast or that you are currently watching Neflix.

Fiona Boomer

Selfies are simply a new form of self portraiture, a Selfie Revolution if you will. Self portraits allow those creating them to define themselves by their own standards. People can capture themselves in history under a light created wholly by them. When people take selfies, more and more people are represented, broadening our understanding and views of other people from various walks of life. It expands our views of beauty, which is extremely important in today’s society. The definition beauty has become a funnel that 99.99% of people do not fit. This is concerning because everyone is beautiful in many different ways. You see, the Selfie Revolution has become a source of empowerment, inspiring people to be creative and appreciate of the creativity of others.

Selfies? Of course I love “selfies” they’re a great way to show your friends where you are, what you’re doing or who you’re with without forcing them to read a tedious update. It’s almost like abbreviated communication. If someone is flooding their feed with selfies it couldn’t be more annoying then if they were doing the same thing with photos of trees. It’s just a form of photography that happens to be popular. While some may see selfies as pointless trash and you probably wouldn’t see one in a museum I don’t believe selfies can’t be art. Can a photo of someone that they took of themselves be completely devoid of meaning? To put it simply art is just an idea put in physical form. Your face can hold meaning can’t it? Even if it’s just “I’m Hungry” or “Look at me I’m at the club with your crush while your just sitting at home looking at your computer you scrub”

Nikki J.

I do not believe that selfless are a form of expression. They are bad quality photos taken by people looking for attention. However, I do think that celebrity selflies are humorous. Most of the time, celebrities are doing it to be goofy or they’re taking one with other celebrities. Common people, however, usually take selflies to be narcissist or get attention because they are insecure. I have never posted a selfie of myself to the internet. I don’t like selflies when they are being taken alone to look good. I do like the kind of selflies when people are doing something funny or something is going on in the background. Normal, plain selfies of just someones face do not amuse me. They are not art, merely a way for human beings to feel better about themselves or capture a funny moment.

Alex M

Selfie’s can be used as a way of communication, to go beyond simply telling someone where you are. They can be used creatively and artistically, and are sometimes just simple fun. Yet they become an annoying form of narcissism when taking dozens of them in a public bathroom and putting them on Instagram. The recent trend of the “Selfie Olympics” is one example of ‘fun’ selfies. When selfies are creative and entertaining, they are fine, but poor photos snapped for narcissistic reasons are frankly annoying.

Jae Hun

Taking selfie once in a while is okay, but people posting their selfie every minute and posting them online doesn’t just look right to me. Selfie should be like the picture showing where you are and what you are doing. It shouldn’t be like telling where you are every single minute.

Daniel Voytovich

By no means do I condone the actions portrayed in any selfie ever taken, however I see the draw of someone taking a selfie. People take selfies to ensure people believe they were in a certain situation at a certain time. A good shot of yourself in frame with a burning building, or foreign dignitary gives validity to the experience whenever you tell the story. Todays culture of needing to see in order to believe makes selfie-taking a marketable skill, that can back up the things you have to say if a selfie is on hand.

carlos a

I believe that selfies should be seen as just selfies, and someone expressing what they like or who they are. it shows a persons personality. But it is true that we shouldnt be taking selfies all the time but rather take maybe one a day.

Caroline P

Selfies, in my opinion, are useless. They are far from any form of artistic expression. The majority of selfies are to broadcast to “friends” on social networking sites where you have been, who you were with, and what you have done. I am primarily against selfies due to their connection with social networking sites such as Twitter, Instagram, etc. Selfies, especially with friends, are used to broadcast to others that hey are with their friends having a grand time. The point of that is useless. Someone shouldn’t have to one up someone else with a selfie to prove they are having a good time. So, selfies themselves are alright if you’re having fun with it, but once they are posted on social networking sites, then the type of selfie has changed from comical to arrogant.

I really do not have anything against selfies and in all honesty I think a selfie is an easier and better way to take a picture. This is because you are not only the photographer but you are also in the picture and this lets you control the enviroment to almost any extent you want. By taking a “quality” selfie you are not only providing yourself to the viewer but you also have the rest of your picture interesting and atttractive. Personally, I don’t look twice at selfies that have only a person’s face in them. We all know what a poor quality picture looks like and that’s what I see in a selfie that has nothing but a face. I would enjoy it much more if I could see a beautiful landscape behing the person or anything exciting that does not have to do much with them. This is where I get most annoyed and its rare I do, but I hate it when someone has a selfie with a caption like “Heading to San Francisco!” but all I can see is the ceiling of an airplane cabin. How about a selfie with the stranger sleeping next to you or with just a view out the window?

iromano

A self portrait and a “selfie” are two very different things. I have been known to send many an ugly photo to my friends – because, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. But texting a funny image to my friends is very different than doing my hair and make-up merely to take a selfie, and on top of that, waiting until peak liking hour to post said selfie on instagram. I think this selfie endemic teaches young men and women that they need to get “likes” in order to be deemed beautiful. I love a good photo of someone who is genuinely happy and in the moment. Unfortunately, selfies are not that. They are superficial, and I think they can serve to make many people feel self-conscious.

Isaac Scarborough

I feel that selfies can be taken, however the people taking them need to have self control. Taking a picture or two is understandable, so you can have a profile picture for some type of social media website so others can recognize you. However, when you’re taking multiple selfies every single day, it makes it seem as you only doing so to gain attention and reassurance from others.

sean.leonard

I personally see no point to selfies. While this guy in the video does raise good points, I still find the concept serving no purpose long term. And while yes, you can make the argument that “selfies aren’t meant to serve a long term purpose” the fact that they are more often then not placed on the internet, where it lasts forever, is in and of itself a contradiction.
The same thing can be said, at least in my opinion, about social media sites (Ex. Facebook, Twitter, etc.) the difference with those however is that they can serve a practical purpose if people don’t get sucked into the bells & whistles of social media sites, which I personally believe includes selfies.
If you want to tell people about what you’re doing, here’s an idea for an alternative to a selfie. Take a photo of the event, perhaps having someone else take the pic for you, and encompass a more well thought out image with more to offer the viewer than just your face. At that point u can either send it right away, or wait until after the event so you can pay more attention to the event while it’s happening and perhaps produce multiple awesome images.
Or another alternative is to completely disregard what I’m saying and continue to do selfies about random stuff instead of putting some effort in your photos. That works too. Why not?

Wes

I once understood why someone might take a selfie, maybe they needed a
profile picture or something, I don’t know. I’ll sometimes take one of
my wife and I if we want a picture of us in front of the beach or
whatever and there’s nobody around to take the picture for us. But, now I
want to puke every time I see a selfie of some girl or guy who took
their picture in a bathroom mirror or as they were driving their car
etc. And that stupid kissy face that girls make is the worst. I have
“friends” who’s photos pages are just selfies because they take a new one everyday. Yes, now I do hate selfies.

Evanjelyn Flores

Selfies can be a good tool for self-expression but, of course, everything in moderation.
When “taking selfies” hinders your everyday life or you limit in order
to make more time to take selfies, then it becomes an issue. Or taking
selfies when you shouldn’t like while driving could potentially be
harmful/life threatening. Everything in moderation and just use common
sense when your are taking them.